Girls golf: Highland's Elizabeth Coleman breaks county mark at Medina Invitational

MONTVILLE TWP. — Fox Meadow Country Club stood about as much chance of containing Highland senior Elizabeth Coleman on Thursday as Coleman did containing her smile after her record-setting round. Coleman shot a blistering 9-under-par 63 to earn medalist honors at the 19-team Medina Bees Invitational, breaking the Medina County record against par by one stroke and tying the record for total strokes. Both were held by former Hornets ace Isabella Goyette. Coleman's former teammate shot an 8-under 63 twice, first at the Fox Den Division I Sectional in 2021 and then at the Blue Devil Classic at Shawnee Hills in 2022. "I'm feeling very excited," Coleman said while grinning from ear-to-ear. "It's kind of unbelievable. I went into the round ready to play. Yeah, it's crazy." Coleman wasn't the only countian to make waves, as Brunswick sophomore Ellie Gonzalez-Ribble broke her school record by three strokes with a 65. That score tied Gonzalez-Ribble for second with Solon's Serena Wu. "I just feel like my game was puzzling together," Gonzalez-Ribble said. "It was so perfect. If I hit a bad chip, I could make the putt. If I hit a bad drive, I could get out. Everything clicked together to give myself a lot of birdie opportunities." Brunswick (319) was third behind Magnificat (295) and Walsh Jesuit (306). Highland (322) was fifth, one stroke behind Solon. Cloverleaf was ninth behind an 81 from Quinn Malarkey and an 83 by Maclaine Bell. The host Bees (366) were one spot behind the Colts behind Corinne Christeon (87), Rachel Coleman (89) and Lily Zimmerman (91). Making the day more unique was the fact Coleman and Gonzalez-Ribble were paired with Walsh Jesuit's Sarah Vojtko and Magnificat's Calli Reed, who also shot a personal best with 68. "I played with three of my really good friends, so I was really excited for my pairing," Coleman said. "Ellie was playing really well, too. Throughout the round we were kind of pushing each other. I would make a birdie, she would make a birdie. She would make a birdie, I would make a birdie. It was really nice to have someone keep pushing you." Coleman and Gonzalez-Ribble each had eight pars and birdied the first, second, seventh, 11th, 15th and 17th holes. "It was some friendly competition," Gonzalez-Ribble said. "We knew we were close and kept making birdies and birdies to go lower and lower. Elizabeth pulls out an eagle putt on the second-to-last hole (No. 4) and it was really great. She did really well today." That eagle putt, which took Coleman from being tied with Gonzalez-Ribble for first place to the top of the county record books, was a 50-foot bomb while knowing she needed to play the final two holes in 2 under to reach 63. "I hit a really nice drive just in the rough and had about 130 in," Coleman said. "I got my 9-iron shot on the green. My eagle putt was going really fast, so I was hoping it'd hit something and it went right in the hole." Despite Coleman's score, Brunswick edged Highland thanks to Jess Buzinski's 89. Emma Gonzalez-Ribble carded an 80 and Rylee Roth turned in an 85 for Brunswick. Emma Gonzalez-Ribble birdied the 416-yard par-5 15th and the 465-yard, par-5 18th, but also double-bogeyed the 345-yard sixth and triple-bogeyed the 81-yard, par-3 13th. "I think I played really good but just had two bad holes," she said. "Those hurt my score. If those were pars, my score would have been like a 75." Malarkey started on the back and was 8 over at the turn before turning things on with a birdie on the 239-yard first. "I felt good after the front nine," she said of her final nine holes. "The back nine was not good, but then I got really hot. I was 1 under up until the last two holes." The 83 by Bell included a birdie on the 110-yard 16th and was her lowest round of the season by seven strokes. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Medina Bees Invitational at par-72 Fox Meadow C.C. Standings: 1. Magnificat 295, 2. Walsh Jesuit 306, 3. Brunswick 319, 4. Solon 321, 5. Highland 322, 6. Granville 324, 7. Massillon Jackson 344, 8. Canton GlenOak 352, 9. Cloverleaf 358, 10. Medina 366, 11. Rocky River 368, 12. Ashland 376, 13. Stow 377, 14. Bay 380, 15. Archbishop Hoban 382, 16. Wooster 390, 17. Strongsville 396, 18. Olmsted Falls 406, 19. Mentor 416. Brunswick (319) — Ellie Gonzalez-Ribble 65, Emma Gonzalez-Ribble 80, Rylee Roth 85, Jess Buzinski 89, Brianna Behrend 92. Highland (322) — Elizabeth Coleman 63, Miley Tylicki 82, Allie Miller 84, Anna Coleman 93, Anna Wynne 101. Cloverleaf (358) — Quinn Malarkey 81, MacLaine Bell 83, Jaelynn Holmes 92, Cameron Todd 102, Avrielle Dalton 115. Medina (366) — Corinne Christeon 87, Rachel Coleman 89, Lily Zimmerman 91, Marissa Nugent 99, Madison Roose 107.